Designing the Future, Engineering Reality: Prototyping in the Emergency Department

This case study covers the implementation of a live prototype aimed at addressing the issue of overcrowding at the emergency department (ED) of the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital (ASMN) in Reggio Emilia (Italy). It was facilitated by a team of service designers and management engineers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), and a working group of 15 professionals composed of doctors, nurses and auxiliaries. The live prototype involved the 150+ staff of the emergency department and over 3,750 patients over a period of 34 days. The end result of the service was a smoother patient flow that reduced waiting time by 38%, and had a patient satisfaction rating of 94% increased staff-patient communication. The service also carried negative effects on how doctor’s viewed their professional identity, and caused stress due to uncontrollable noise limits.